Unstable System-- also BIOS settings won't save! Assistance appreciated!

[michaelsaxon]

OK-- working on my dad's system (which I built for him) again. Now, this is personal because he is starting to say things like "I should've bought a Gateway..." so you know I need help.

Anyhow, specs first:

Abit KT7A
Athlon XP 1700+
512MB Kingston PC133 CAS3
Maxtor 30GB 7200
GF2 MX 400
Soundblaster Live! Value
Generic modem
Linksys NIC
XP Pro

OK-- so, this thing keeps throwing him out of some games. I try to run 3dMark2001 and it dies usually somewhere on the high detail test on the first game (the truck). Sometimes it makes it through and dies when it should be loading the dragon game. Anyhow, I think that I must need to tweak the BIOS settings. Go to Paul's KT7 FAQ and see some stuff that might help. Keep messing around with the BIOS settings from the most conservative to more aggressive and still can't get through 3dMark. After the last BIOS save, reboot and no beep and no start-up.

I go in and discharge the CMOS with the jumper. Plug back in and get a beep (thank God!). Go back into BIOS to set everything. Save and exit. Again, no beep. Again do the CMOS jumper thing. Luckily, beeps and goes back to the defaults.

Now I'm concerned about going in to the BIOS and changing anything (at least it's running right now!).

What is going on here? First, with the BIOS problem and second with the stability problem. Thanks a bunch.

 

[michaelsaxon]

Bump!

 

[daveybrat]

sorry man, i feel for ya. It's the motherboard, trust me. Can't tell you how many ABIT KT7 and KT7A boards i had
trouble with back in the day. They were always unstable, imcompatible with certain cards, and just crap in my opinion.
Switched from using abit boards to MSI motherboards and have had excellent stablility and compatability.
Try it, he'll then be glad he didn't get a gateway

 

[crobusa]

If the BIOS settings won't save, I would attempt to replace the battery or take it out and put it back in.. Does it give some error like
CPU speed wrong, press F1 to use default config or
CMOS info corrupt, like after a reset?

 

[michaelsaxon]

crobusa-- as a matter of fact, I just walked in after the computer had run all night and moved the mouse to resume from standby. Computer snapped back to windows for a second and then rebooted. When it did, I did get an error that said something about the CPU set-up having been changed or something, F1 to go on, DEL to go into setup. I hit F1 and was able to get back to the desktop (and write this).

daveybrat-- I'd rather not switch at this point, although your point is well taken. I don't think MWAVE will take this back on RMA after five months and I'd rather not spring for another mobo and then be stuck eating this one... But, I may consider that if things don't improve.

Any other suggestions?

 

[Dreadogg]

I would reset the bios to default and reboot, then I would make sure the ram timings and Cpu settings are set properly (do not try to tweak the settings or OC). Then I would make sure that I have windows XP updated, security and compadibility updates are out. Then I would reboot and see what happens, also check temps in the bios after all the updates! If this fails I would try updating the VIA drivers to the 4.38's and install the newest Nvidia drivers 28.32's which are on there site and seem to do a good job! If this fails pull everything that is unnessary in the PC like the soundcard and nic and modem and if you have multiple ram sticks remove one! then add one by one till you find the capper doing some sort of stressing the system inbetween! Good luck!

Edit: also think about flashing the bios on the board! I would make this one of the last things you try! Oh yea and do not give up it is probally something simple! Can you give us more instances when this thing crashes?

 

[michaelsaxon]

Dreadogg-- I'm hesitant to go into BIOS because if it doesn't save settings again and I can't get the beep back with a CMOS discharge, he'll have a dead computer at least until next weekend (at the earliest) when I can get back here.

It crashes out in 3d games like Max Payne, Jedi Knight 2, etc., and also in 3D Mark 2K1... seems to do so in these sorts of "intense" graphics type programs. I'm telling you, back when the BIOS was actually SAVING after I made changes, I tried every combination of RAM timing, and lowered all of the memory settings to their most conservative and it still crashed. I'm considering buying him an IWILL KK266+ and ditching this POS.

Also, it does have the latest Detonators and I haven't installed 4-in-1s because he is running WinXP and I thought that they were loaded by the OS? I'm hesitant to flash the BIOS because of the problems with the battery (or whatever else is not allowing me to save settings and is killing the beep/startup process)...

 

[Dreadogg]

I'm hesitant to flash the BIOS because of the problems with the battery (or whatever else is not allowing me to save settings and is killing the beep/startup process)...

have you changed the batterie, sorry if you posted this I just read like 10 other post and I cant remember! also if you are gonna ditch this board and hang it on the wall atleast try flashing the bios first! but if you havent replaced the batterie dont do this!

 

[michaelsaxon]

No, I haven't changed the battery (nowhere to get one today unfortunately). I just flashed to the most recent BIOS (successfully thankfully) and I'm still getting "CMOS checksum error" on startup and it loads defaults with hitting F1. Windows starts that way.

I think this is a bad battery. Am I right? If so, it is pretty crappy that it would die on a five-month-old motherboard. Where can I get a new one? Any recommendations? Radio Shack? Also, anyone know what type so I don't have to unplug everything and yank this thing out of his computer desk for the twentieth time...

 

[ARMINTECH57]

Try to update your MB BIOS and (sometimes does magic) if your board is still under warranty, just call or email Abit (They should RMA it for you if you have it less than a year).

Good Luck bro

 

[michaelsaxon]

I replaced the battery and it fixed the BIOS Save / Checksum problem.

Still having stability problems, though. Any suggestions on that?

 

[ARMINTECH57]

maby you have cooling problem? do have enough fan? Check your cpu and system temp with MBM5(free download). I have a big stability problem ae well( As you see i posted here,if you go down on the page you'll see it) sometimes heat unstable your system Big time.

 

[WarCon]

Try agp 2x. What temps are you getting? Make sure the fans on the northbridge and on the video card aren't choked with dust. Those little fans fill up with dust pretty fast.

Might try reinstalling DirectX also.

 

[michaelsaxon]

Have tried every lame-o setting in the BIOS including 2x AGP. All of the HSFs are clean as a whistle. MBM logs show a max CPU temp of 105 F, so that shouldn't be the problem.

I tried upping the core and I/O voltage 1 notch and that didn't work. Also tried rearranging the cards. Will check out DirectX but this is a fresh WinXP install, so I doubt that!

Thanks, though, and keep the ideas coming!

 

[michaelsaxon]

Ran the DirectX diagnostics and it passed everything.

 

[Dreadogg]

ok so replaced the batterie now did you reflash the bios, and did you update windows, and did you install the newest VIA plus Nvidia?

 

[michaelsaxon]

The new VIA 4.38s solved the problem. I guess the old "you don't need to install the 4-in-1s if you install Windows XP" is a bunch of BS. Well, at least it is fixed. Thanks to all for helping out!